James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable is a private foundation based in Palm Beach, Florida. Its 2025 filing reports 12 grants totaling $113,750 to charitable organizations in Florida, Ohio, and Massachusetts.
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable at a glance
In short: James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable gave $114K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Florida. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $113,750
- +109.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,479
- +4.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,275
- Total assets
- $58
- -99.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (6 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 240 El Vedado Road, Palm Beach, FL 33480
Phone: (212) 967-2300
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Town of Palm Beach United Way ($25K). Together the top 10 received $112K.
Grant Size Distribution
38 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 38 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida, 25% to recipients in Ohio, and 10% to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 12 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 127% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $29K (2021) to $114K (2025). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $114K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Town of Palm Beach United Way Palm Beach, FL | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $25,000 |
| Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Palm Beach, FL | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $17,500 |
| Center for Creative Education West Palm Beach, FL | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $16,700 |
| The Literacy Cooperative Cleveland, OH | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $11,000 |
| Palm Beach Island Hospice Foundation Palm Beach, FL | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $10,000 |
| Cleveland Art Museum Cleveland, OH | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $10,000 |
| Vineyard Preservation Trust Edgartown, MA | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $6,550 |
| Sail Martha's Vineyard Vineyard Haven, MA | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $5,000 |
| Palm Beach Civic Association Palm Beach, FL | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $5,000 |
| Cleveland Arts Prize Cleveland, OH | Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $58 | $83,052 | $113,750 | $113,750 | 12 | $113,750 | $52 | $674 |
| 2024 | $30,756 | $50,187 | $54,260 | $54,200 | 6 | $54,200 | $126 | $1,744 |
| 2023 | $34,829 | $202 | $77,700 | $74,200 | 9 | $74,200 | $202 | $2,417 |
| 2022 | $112,327 | $100,087 | $50,000 | $50,000 | 6 | $50,000 | $87 | $4,651 |
| 2021 | $62,240 | $8 | $30,401 | $29,200 | 5 | — | $8 | $3,298 |
| 2020 | $92,633 | $35 | $51,561 | $50,000 | 5 | — | $35 | $5,417 |
| 2019 | $169,159 | $61 | $70,971 | $70,000 | 8 | — | $61 | $5,984 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable reported a distributable amount of $674 for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include community health, education, income, and literacy; civic engagement; arts and dance; and maritime history, culture, and environmental education.
For example, the Town of Palm Beach United Way says it works to build a healthy community by investing in programs focused on education, income, and health. The Literacy Cooperative describes its purpose as improving literacy in the Greater Cleveland area. Sail Martha’s Vineyard says it works to preserve and protect the island’s maritime history, culture, and skills through on-the-water academic and environmental programs. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $113,750 through 12 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $8,275.
The largest reported grants included $25,000 to Town of Palm Beach United Way, $17,500 to Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, $16,700 to Center for Creative Education, and $11,000 to The Literacy Cooperative. Other grants included $10,000 each to Palm Beach Island Hospice Foundation and Cleveland Art Museum, and $6,550 to Vineyard Preservation Trust. The listed grants were designated for unrestricted charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James Held as director, treasurer, and secretary, and Kenn Karakul as director and president.
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable is led by Kenn Karakul, Director & President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kenn Karakul
Director & President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
James Held
Director, Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable
How much does James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable give each year?
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable gave $114K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $54K across 6 grants.
What is James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable's typical grant size?
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable's median grant in 2025 was $8,275, and its average grant was $9,479, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable that year got $6K on average.
Where does James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable give grants?
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable gives mostly in Florida: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Ohio (25%) and Massachusetts (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Palm Beach, FL (4 grants) and Cleveland, OH (4 grants).
Does James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable's largest grantees?
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable's largest 2025 grantees include Town of Palm Beach United Way ($25,000), Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach ($17,500) and Center for Creative Education ($16,700), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable?
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable reported $58 in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $114K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $674 (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include community health, education, income, and literacy; civic engagement; arts and dance; and maritime history, culture, and environmental education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable's EIN?
James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2280075. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 17, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-held-and-kenn-karakul-charitable-morg_8c3fabde02a04cc3a3d6609617eb8e2e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522280075_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-held-and-kenn-karakul-charitable-morg_8c3fabde02a04cc3a3d6609617eb8e2e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from James Held and Kenn Karakul Charitable's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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